Wyoming’s in-state walleye hatchery production could start going through the roof in a few years, from about 100,000 to well over a million fish per year, and anglers couldn’t be happier.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission on Wednesday approved putting nearly $9.6 million toward a massive upgrade of the Dan Speas Fish Hatchery near Casper. It’s geared toward increasing the hatchery’s production of walleye and other warm-and cold-water game fish.
The total estimated budget for the project is roughly $25 million. Construction is set to begin in September and end in October 2027. The upgraded facility is scheduled to begin hatching its first walleye fry in April 2028.
Happy Anglers
That’s fantastic news, said walleye enthusiast Brian Woodward, who attended Wednesday’s commission meeting in Torrington.
“I manage a sporting goods store. The customers tend to be about a 50-50 split between walleye and trout anglers,” he told Cowboy State Daily.
“Actually, it might be skewed a bit toward the walleye,” added Woodward, manager of the Rocky Mountain Discount Sports store in Casper.
He also organizes the yearly Wyoming Walleye Stampede fishing tournament series, on Glendo and Boysen reservoirs.
“Sometimes, we launch 100-plus boats at a time,” he said.
Fremont County resident Patrick Edwards told Cowboy State Daily that he is among Wyoming walleye anglers celebrating the commission’s decision to top off the hatchery project’s budget.
“I think the whole walleye world in this state, all the Wyoming walleye anglers, are really excited about this,” he said.
Bigger Fish Numbers
The Speas hatchery can produce about 100,000 to 125,000 walleye each year, hardly enough to meet anglers' demand for what is, after trout, probably Wyoming’s most popular species.
That means that the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has had to import many of its walleye from hatcheries in North Dakota and other states.
But there’s increasing concern over the future of those supply lines, as well as out-of-state fish shipments inadvertently bringing in invasive species, such as zebra mussels, into Wyoming.
It only makes sense for Wyoming to produce as many of its own walleye and other game fish species as possible, Game and Fish Fisheries Division Chief Alan Osterland told the commission during a presentation to the commission Wednesday.
Other warm-cold water fish species set to be hatched at the Speas facility each year include 100,000 crappie, 10,000 tiger muskie, 56,000 channel catfish, 80,000 Sauger, 36,000 largemouth bass and 60,000 bluegill.
Angling Variety
While Wyoming is known primarily for its trout fishing, walleye and other game fish species are popular, particularly on lakes and reservoirs, Osterland told the commission.
Edwards said that next to angling for trout, walleye fishing is king in Wyoming.
“You would be amazed at the number of anglers who travel to Wyoming from other states, especially from Colorado,” he said.
While catch-and-release fishing for trout is common, walleye anglers are out to fill their freezers, he said.
“Walleyes are such good table fare,” Edwards said.
A big, in-state walleye hatchery is long overdue, he said.
“Man, I’ve been waiting for Wyoming to get into stocking walleyes, and actually grow the walleyes here, for decades now,” Edwards said.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
